Prowing a Tius

[jello_jeep]

I don't really care, just had to give fly boy the red-ass, because he so richly deserves it

Hey Jeep, tell us how you really feel about Mini's!

King - I'm in shock! I thought sure those two turd boys were on our side!

[garyde]

Warren, defense is the best offense. It is a Mad Max World. Ya just don't realise how bad it is until you have a 'one on one' with an Insurance and Licensed challenged driver.

[Jerry Winchester]

I saw a sign today that summed it all up;

Washington D.C. - 100 Square Miles Surrounded by Reality.

[flyu2there]

Well now. I just drove the MINI at 75 mph+ from Santa Barbara to Yuma in a shade under 6 hours and was averaging 40.6 mpg until the a/c unit was required abeam Palm Springs....I shed 3 mpg off, according to the computer, to keep the thing cool, although 37 mpg overall still ain't bad in a car that weighs a shade under 2600 lbs. empty, being drug along with a 207 HP turbo-crammed DOHC 4 banger. (This one is a John Cooper Works Mark II)

The MINI did not even pop onto my radar until I drove the thing, what a rush, an overpowered cart with paddle shifters that feels like it is on rails!
The Mark II has decent crash test results but it certainly ain't no Hummer; you are done if you get T-Boned by a GMC Yukon or similar as described by Jeep....however just about anything, save a raised H2 is in trouble with that one. Thing about the MINI, if one keeps his situational awarness active, you can maneuver out of just about anything! The 17" alloys and very wide (NITROGEN FILLED) Z rated run flats certainly help.

Much to the chagrin of others, I am going to drag this one on a small dolly. It gets the nose of the car up enough to avoid most of the jet blast left behind by the bus, requires no lights or brakes as they are on the trailer, a can be disconnected nearly as fast as a tow bar and associated plumbing.......plus it keeps the vehicle warranty in tact.

In the end, all I can say is go drive one of them....not the anemic one but at least an S with the paddle shifters. Emerson Fitapaldi, here I come

John

[flyu2there]

While I am kinda wandering off subject with this one, it certainly is food for thought.

A friend of mine skillfully missed a large alligator (un-attached full length truck trailer tread) with his bus by maneuvering slightly and sending the dude under the center of his bus.....well, missed the bus completely but caught his newJeep under tow. Tore all of the plastic trim off the right hand side, did a quick sanding and denting job on the paint in the vicinity and finished by removing a couple of feet of tailpipe. I guess it is not wise to "send the gator under the middle"


John

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

I guess it is not wise to "send the gator under the middle" John

Unless John, you are towing an H2 or H3 Hummer behind ? They stand about as tall as the bus, at least on the bottom side.

Gary S.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Don't believe it Gary. I had to straddle one because I could not change lanes last fall. I first heard it hit my center Cruise Airs baffle, then further back, and then finally I heard it beating on the H2. When I saw it in my mirror it was literally up in the air a foot or so, my guess being that it got rolled up as it passed under and was unwinding.

I pulled over as soon as I could expecting to see something broke or leaking or at least damaged. Nothing fortunately, but unless an alligator lays perfectly flat and remains undisturbed it appears that it starts hopping and rolling up and thus starts tearing stuff up. I was very lucky. Those are probably about 70 pounds of potential damage, and at our normal speeds they can do plenty.